Lund East and Southeast Asian Studies
Lund East and Southeast Asian Studies was established in 2025. The series mostly includes dissertation but may also include other works. Most works are published both online as open access and in print. To get printed works you may need to contact either the author or Nina Brand (nina [dot] brand [at] ace [dot] lu [dot] se).
Chief editor: Marina Svensson
ISSN: 3035-854X
Fragmented Power
Tabita Rosendal | Fragmented Power: The Reception of China's Foreign Policy Strategies in Sri Lanka | Lund East and Southeast Asian Studies 1 | 2025
This dissertation presents a theory on China’s “Fragmented Power” in foreign politics by examining the reception of the “Belt and Road” Initiative in Sri Lanka. This initiative, which exemplifies Xi Jinping’s assertive foreign policy, has sparked significant global debate but remains underexplored in academic circles, particularly regarding its reception and the role of local actors in host countries. Through four interconnected articles and an introductory chapter, this dissertation provides new insights into China’s diverse foreign policy strategies and the perceptions of China’s political and economic power among Sri Lankans from various societal backgrounds. It contributes to emerging scholarship on the connections between Chinese domestic and foreign policies, highlighting the effects of decentralization and experimentation, the increasing importance of religious and party diplomacy, and the value of local perspectives in understanding the influence of “Global China.”
This is a compilation thesis and you can find the ‘kappa’ (summary) with further information about the individual articles here https://portal.research.lu.se/en/publications/fragmented-power-the-reception-of-chinas-foreign-policy-strategie
For printed copies please contact the author.